Damon: Are we finally done with the cold?

The grass is trying to turn green, the daffodils are supposed to be in full bloom and your allergies should be going bonkers right now. (OK, so the allergies thing, according to me, seems to be holding true).

But the other things I listed above got off to a fast start but are now hitting the brakes.

That's right. I'm talking about how Mother Nature wants it to be spring, but so far it has been feeling more like winter. And I know what you're thinking right now. You want to believe that this cold spell we've been in is "it" and that this week's warm up will continue right? Well, I'm here to tell you, NOT SO FAST!

Winter is not giving up yet and it appears that another round of cold is headed this way.

The above image shows the departure from normal temperatures that we could experience early next week. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "wait a second, weren't we supposed to see a chance of spring storms next week?"

While that may hold on to be true, it looks like it may not be true in Oklahoma as the flow will set up to be somewhat similar to this past week. That means the atmosphere will be primed to allow more shots of cooler air to move south from the north.

So yes, the above image is showing that temperatures may be running anywhere between 10-20 degrees below normal next Tuesday afternoon. And this makes sense. Yes, I have been talking a lot about The Arctic Oscillation. But, check it out.

While it may not be nearly as negative as it was earlier this week, it still remains fairly negative and the average of all the model runs wants to keep it negative for much of April. What does this mean? This means that we'll likely see strong cold fronts moving into America with increased chances of below normal temperatures for all of us east of The Rocky Mountains.

So, how long will this pattern last? And when will spring temperatures make a return for good?

The following images take into account model runs and their average for the next 45 days.

This model gives us an outlook for March. Yes, March is just about over but it shows what I mentioned above. With a negative Arctic Oscillation, locations east of the Rocky Mountains will average out to be below normal with their temperatures. Sure enough, that is what we're seeing.

How about April? What can we expect for April? If we average out the models, this is where we'll be with temperatures. Orange means warmer than normal blue means cooler than normal.

If you were hoping for an extended period of spring warmth this month, it may not happen. According to this average, our temperature here in Oklahoma could run about 3-6 degrees Celsius below normal.

How about May? What does the beginning of May look like?

More of the same. A cooler than normal weather pattern. So, if we average out the next 45 days, what does it look like?

Ouch. Did you buy new patio furniture? This may not be the map you want to see yet because going outside may have to wait. This shows that the running 45-day average will likely see below normal temperatures east of the Rocky Mountains.

So, why is this happening? How come spring is having such a hard time coming in? It just so happens to be the pattern we're in. And while I wish this pattern was here during the summer months where instead of being at 95 for a high we're at 85, it just so happens to be the hand we were dealt.

At the same time, however, this early season cold is going to have ramifications. Gulf of Mexico temperatures may be cooler than normal which means that when the moisture begins to move back inland ahead of a storm system, it may not be as "moist" as it normally would be, in turn helping keep severe weather season somewhat limited.

This doesn't mean we won't see severe storms, it just means that the severe weather season will be delayed some more. And while there will be some warm days in the mix, the overall trend is that the pattern we're in now will likely continue for a while.

My thoughts have not changed at all in the last couple of weeks. Our severe weather season will stay on the minimal side until around mid-April with occasional storms here and there. Is that such a bad thing?

Anything after early May is still up in the air. I have a feeling that once we cut this flow off, then temperatures will be quick to warm. When will that happen? We'll just have to wait and see.

Whether you see sunny skies, raindrops or severe weather, there is an opportunity for a FirstAlert weather photo -- and we've made it easy! Post your weather pic or video to http://ulocal.koco.com, or upload them to ulocal@koco.com.

Copyright 2013 byKOCO.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comments

The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.